Franz Joseph Haydn was born on March 31, 1732.
Listed simply in the dictionary as "Austrian composer,"1 his musical style and techniques are of great historical importance.2
He was born to a poor wagon wheel maker. He had a very rough life, was the 2nd of 12 children, and loved to imitate violinists with a couple sticks. A distant relative noticed this and took him away from his family and put him in music school when only 6 years old. After a couple years of abusive and harsh existence, the choirmaster of the boys choir in Vienna heard him sing and offered to take him. The reward for the singing test was a bowl of cherries the famished boy ate with great delight! There he remained until his voice changed at 18 years of age, having gained great fame and notoriety as a soloist and singer. 3
When 27, he married the daughter of a wig-maker, but found her to be "heartless, unsociable, quarrelsome, extravagant, and bigoted." She would tear up important manuscripts to use as curl papers. Yet, her attitude did not quench the good humor of Haydn. He stuck out their marriage of 40 years, even though separated at times.4
He is credited with the perfection of the string choir and the mastering of the symphony, enabling Mozart and Beethoven to follow his lead. "His works include 104 symphonies, 83 quartets, 42 sonatas, 24 concertos, 14 operas, 8 oratorios as well as the Austrian national anthem."5 "Haydn's music for the church spans nearly his whole career." 6
A few of the hymns he composed were:
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Count Paul Esterhazy Palace
After several years of hand to mouth living, he was hired by Count Morzin as a private composer and conductor at the palace in Vienna. Soon after, he was heard by Count Paul Esterhazy who hired him to come to his palace in Hungary. Here Haydn stayed from 1761-1769. In 1762, he was moved to a new palace in Bohemia that was a wonder of its day, with a magnificent theater. Here Haydn had an orchestra of 30 players and a number of good Italian singers.8
In 1791, he went to London to produce a large number of new compositions in England. There the University of Oxford bestowed upon him a degree of Doctor of Music. He wore the robes for three days, he loved them so much!
Haydn was well loved and appreciated, but loved to walk about town in peasant clothing, so that he was often not recognized.
Haydn, the great musician, one day walked down a London street and turning into a music-seller's shop, he asked the salesman if he had any select and beautiful music? "Well sir," said he, "I have some sublime music by Mr. Haydn." "Oh," said Haydn, "I'll have nothing to do with that." "Why, sir, you come to buy music and will have nothing to do with Mr. Haydn's composition! What fault can you find with it?" "I can find a great deal of fault with it, but I will not argue with you: I do not want any of his music." "Then," said the shopkeeper, "I have other music, but it is not for such as you," and he turned his back on him.9
He was a very humble man, and a story from the end of his life exemplifies this very well. The concept of how the earth was created is difficult to conceptualize, yet Haydn expresses it well musically in his oratorio, The Creation.7
On the 27th of March, 1808, a grand performance of the Creation took place in Vienna, and the composer himself, Franz Joseph Haydn, who was 76, was able to be in attendance. He was so old and feeble that he had to be wheeled into the theater in a chair. His presence aroused intense enthusiasm among the audience, which could no longer be suppressed as the chorus and orchestra burst with full power into the passage, "And there was light." Amid the tumult of the enraptured audience the old composer was seen striving to raise himself. Once on his feet, he mustered up all his strength and, in reply to the applause of the audience, cried out as loudly as he was able, "No, no! Not from me, but," pointing to heaven, "from thencefrom heaven abovecomes all!" He then fell back on his chair, faint and exhausted, and had to be carried out of the room.10
On May 31st, 1809, at 77 years of age, he passed away from this world. His last days had been disturbed by war. Vienna was besieged and then taken by the French troops. However, Napoleon, knowing the importance of Haydn, posted military protection around his house to see that no damage came to Haydn. One of these soldiers came to his deathbed and sang a piece from Haydn's Creation in such a beautiful voice and style, that Haydn burst into tears and gave him a big hug.11
So where is Haydn now? It is believed that the music he created on earth went with him to heaven. When we get there, we will be able to sing it with him before the throne. "Those who are especially fond of music on earth will in all probability be stationed at the headquarters of things musical up above."12
Sources
Haydn's picture is from the WICR Radio Station of Indianapolis web site, www.wicr.uindy.edu/Education/Composers/HaydnF.html
The Palace picture is from the Grove & Dall'Olio Architects of West Virginia site at www.gdaaia.com/esterhaz/htm
1I. Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary., 10th ed. (Springfield, Mass., U.S.A.: Merriam-Webster, 1996, c1993). "Haydn, Franz"
2D.S.Cushman ed by J. D. Douglas, Who's Who in Christian History (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House, 1997, c1992).
3 Frederic S. Law. "Haydn-The Child, Youth and Man" Etude Magazine, Jan, 1907. as found at: www.web-helper.net/PDMusic/Biographies/HaydnJoseph.
4 Henry T. Finck. "Franz Joseph Haydn" Etude Magazine, Jan. 1907. as found at the above web address
5W. J. Federer, Great Quotations (St. Louis, MO: AmeriSearch, 2001).
6J. D. Douglas, Who's Who in Christian History (Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House, 1997, c1992).
7R. L. Harris, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999, c1980). Page 965.
8 Finck
9C. H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermons: Volume 25, electronic ed., Logos Library System;Spurgeon's Sermons (Albany, OR: Ages Software, 1998). #1482
10S. Zodhiates, Faith, Love, & Hope : An Exposition of the Epistle of James, electronic ed., Logos Library System;Exegetical Commentary Series (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1999, c1994). Jas 1:18.
11 Law.
12N.A. Woychuk. "What will we do in heaven" Bibliotheca Sacra., electronic edition. (Dallas, TX: Dallas Theological Seminary, 1998). Vol. 108. #432 Oct. 1951, page 494.
